To curb avoidable hospital readmissions among seniors, CVS Caremark has teamed up with a provider of transitional care services to help these patients better manage and understand their medication regimens.

“When it comes to advancing pharmacy to truly become the ‘practice of the future,’ we must tell our story.” That was a key message that Steve Anderson, National Association of Chain Drug Stores president and CEO, had for next-generation pharmacists attending the Dean’s Convocation at the Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus on Tuesday.

Cardinal Health announced that the Cardinal Health Foundation has developed new guidelines that are designed to help pharmacists and healthcare professionals understand the steps involved in hosting medication disposal days.

PharmaSmart unveiled its new medication therapy management software at the National Association of Chain Drug Stores' Pharmacy and Technology Conference in Boston, the blood-pressure monitor manufacturer said.

Katz Group Canada, Canada’s largest integrated pharmacy network with more than 1,800 chain, franchise and independent pharmacies, has announced the retirement of industry veteran Andy Giancamilli as CEO, effective Feb. 2, 2012.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores has praised a review article published in this week’s Archives of Internal Medicine, which stated that community pharmacists figure prominently in the successful management of cardiovascular disease risk factors in outpatients, such as reductions in blood pressure and cholesterol.

The National Community Pharmacists Association on Wednesday expressed its concerns over track-and-trace systems in its comments submitted to the U.S. Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee hearing, “Securing the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain.”

As part of the launch of the Department of Health and Human Services' Million Hearts campaign on Tuesday, HHS identified several key association partners, including the National Community Pharmacist Association and the American Pharmacists Association.

Customers with diabetes at Rite Aid locations in New York and Washington will have access to patient education and support from trained pharmacists to help them better control their disease, the retail pharmacy chain said.

Walgreens, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services on Tuesday announced the kick-off of the Million Hearts Initiative, a public and private sector initiative to help prevent 1 million heart attacks and strokes over five years.

As the clock winds down on the patent exclusivity of the industry’s biggest blockbuster drug in November, speculation continues to grow that Pfizer will look to flip the switch on an OTC version of Lipitor (atorvastatin) before generic competition whittles away at the $7 billion behemoth.

Longtime industry veteran Mark de Bruin in July signed on with wholesaler H. D. Smith as corporate VP managed care. Drug Store News sat down with de Bruin recently to discuss the managed care climate for the independent pharmacy operator and how the business of pharmacy continues to evolve.

Lawmakers should oppose the proposed mega-merger of pharmacy benefit managers Express Scripts and Medco Health Solutions, the National Community Pharmacists Association again told Congress members during a House subcommittee hearing held Friday.

"The axis of the healthcare system is shifting toward more accessible and collaborative models,” and both pharmacists and nurse practitioners are “well-positioned to have a substantial impact in a post-reform environment.” That was a key message that Walgreens chief medical officer Cheryl Pegus had for attendees of Forum 11, the annual meeting of the Care Continuum Alliance in San Francisco on Friday.

The National Association of Chain Drug Stores announced on Thursday that it issued a letter calling on the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to urge collaboration with community pharmacy in developing solutions to curb healthcare costs, while at the same time maintaining patient access to prescription medications and pharmacy services.

Poll

Poll

SPECIAL REPORTS

Are we in the midst of a beauty revolution? Perhaps. It is no secret that the ever-changing beauty category is all about trends, but one could argue that we are embarking on an especially interesting time in beauty as technology is changing the way consumers shop and new innovations strive to break through the noise.

In this beauty report, Drug Store News takes a deeper dive into some of the leading trends that are reshaping beauty.more ...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN examines PricewaterhouseCoopers' "Top Health Industry Issues for 2015;" takes you on a tour of Murad, shares beauty trends and insights and delves into location-based technology and how it is revolutionizing health, retail.Click here to view the issue.